My biggest fear amounts to 2 equal fears: (1) the number of Arabs who hate our guts has risen as a result of our own deeds from a few thousand fanatics to tens of MILLIONS, and (2) the majority of our citizens are oblivious to true facts versus propaganda they are being fed. Find myself agreeing with a lot of you, especially Jenny Oops and L. Shaw. Like L. Shaw, my husband and I predicted the war in Iraq years ago. Back in the summer of 2000, we told one another that we had to do all we could to defeat Bush, as he was sure to want to invade Iraq and finish the job he felt his daddy had failed at. History shows no outside culture can go into a soverign country and conquer it and impose a totally different culture upon it. All reform to the culture itself MUST come from within; usually violently, but always from within. My hope is that we will withdraw and APOLOGIZE for our errors and explain our well-meaning, and that the Middle East will heal its wounds and put its zeal to improving the lives of its peoples.

Every single action, event or thought in and about Iraq that we take makes me shudder. Perhaps two issues stand out this week: 1) the continued denial that “things are getting better” by some GOP talking heads and military big-wigs, present and former (they who are trained to do battle); 2) that Iraq has 100 billion they are sitting on while our U. S. citizens struggle to support Iraq’s infrastucture. The 3d issue is one of apathy. Just give me the peace marches of the 60’s if that’s what it takes. We seem a truly down-trodden bunch in the US lately. Barb

I think Iraq is a hopeless debacle and we should get out now. Even if I thought it was possible to police them into some form of peaceful coexistence between the sects, it would be temporary at best and therefore a tragic waste of American lives. There hasn’t been any time in the history of religion when there has been lasting peace in the middle east. They’ve been at war with themselves and their perceived enemies since before this country was even dreamed of. Why would we think we have any chance of forcing them to settle their ages old, apparently inherent, conflicts against their will? My biggest fear is that my grandsons will be drafted. We can’t let McCain get into the White House.

General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are back again to tell us about small increments of progress and more American lives and treasure will be required for the foreseeable future. My hope is for General Petraeus to take on the goal of working himself out of a job. The recent events in Basra suggest the Iraqi Government wants to take control of the military agenda. I support that notion. The Basra military adventure may have been flawed, but it suggests the path for reduced American involvement. We can never leave if we are running the show, calling the shots, and dominate every element of command and control. My hope is that when General petraus returns to Congress in the next few months, he brings an Iraqi general with him to begin the serious discussion of the inevitable transfer of military decision-making to the Iraqi people.

I loved the response of Eileen Tanne and was thinking how closely this whole issue is related to yesterday’s conversation about religion. How badly it seems to divide us and how foolishly it makes us behave. Against my own judgment that we should all come home and attend to our own glass house, I find myself hoping, for the sake of our image in the world and for the sake of the women and children of Iraq, that it might go well, whatever that means.

My biggest fear is that in the waning days of George Bush, his failed administration will make additional offensives against Iran. During his recent testimony, Petraeus declared Iranian-backed “special groups,” hardened fighters who are largely Shiite militias, to be be the “greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq.” I have no faith in Bush Cheney and fear any actions they might take as they close out their terms. My greatest hope is that a Democrat, my preference is Senator Obama, will move into the executive branch in 2009 and a more enlightened policy will ensue. Obama intends to begin withdrawal with a timetable on the order of 1-2 brigades a month, not a precipitous drawdown that his detractors claim. My additional hope is we will once again begin to believe in the power of negotiation with our enemies as well as our friends.

We are told over and over we must stay the course because ournational interests must be protected. You are to fill in the blanks as to what is meant. OIL? Military bases? Israel? Al Queda/WOT? All of the above? Looks like any excuse that is handy will work. And the saber rattling when the military cannot even give humane rotation to the troops in Iraq seems crazy and the implied enemies know that. Just what is that doing for our credibility. America is going to be in repair mode for decades after the Bush blunders. graysmoke

My biggest fear is that my son, who is on the ground with his special forces unit, will not survive. I have always been comforted thinking “He’s safe on a big ship…he’ll never be “on the ground”. Then he joined special forces and though I’m proud of him, beyond measure…I’m also afraid for him. Two days ago, a navy blue sedan was parked in our cul de sac…and I swear I didn’t draw breath until it pulled away…my nightmares are always built around the sedan in the drive and the two officers knocking on my door…if you ask my son why we’re there? The answer is always the same…”Oil, Mom…we all know why we’re here.” I asked him who to vote for and he said “Obama…its a no brainer. For the love of God Mom, don’t vote for McCain…we’ll be here forever.” It’s his third tour. He seems certain that it won’t be his last. However, he did tell me, given the choice, he would stay in Iraq before he would go back to Afghanistan. The middle east has been warring, in one way or another, for thousands of years. We are not going to change that. Not now, not ever.

If we stay in our current role we participate in a plan that is not constructive for the Iraqi people or the American people. I would support continued military support if it provided Iraq with the tools they need to transition to democracy. I also feel the vision to pull out is poorly constructed. Pulling out does not get us out of the conflict. We created a conflict in Iraq that will continue for generations. We need to accept our responsibility. The majority of Americans voted for this war by voting for G.W Bush a second time. We can not get out in 60 days. My greatest fear is that our president and vice president continue to antagonize Iran and create a vaccume against the US in the Gulf region. Second is the the Iraqi children who have been displaced by the conflict. I fear the youths will grow into a generation of American haters. From the time of our invasion the displaced kids have not attended school. Iliterate, hungry, traumatized they will place their pain into anger and become the new generation of anti-western, anti-american leaders in Islam tommorow. My greatest hope is that the US will deal with the millions of external and internal refugees that have been created by our war in Iraq. That they will be fed, educated, and have hope for a future.

First time on this site. Saw the interview on PBS accidentally (I believe it was on at 12:30 A.M.!!), and am very glad I did. Great web site!!! As for Iraq, I feel the same today as I did when we started the war. We started it. We need to finish it. Long before we began the war (it was obvious we were going to start one), I wrote an email to George Bush pointing out that a war, just or not, cannot be won by wishing and hoping. It requires death on the part of the “right” side and the “wrong” side. It requires overwhelming odds to end quickly (I haven’t read all the responses here, but I believe somebody quote Hitler earlier). If you don’t do that, well Viet Nam is a prime example of the result of sending just enough men to die horrible deaths, but not enough to put and end to the fighting. I also pointed out that he had the support of the majority of the US population, but that support would rapidly disintegrate if the war lingered… go figure! Well, now many a politician who supported the war then is against it now. I have always voted for Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer since they came on the political scene because they are women and we needed to break down the old boy network (still do, BTW). However, they lost my vote when I received their emails saying how upset (!) they were about the U.S. deaths (2004?, 2005?). I responded that it should come as no surprise to them (or BTW, to you, or George, or Barack, or Hillary for that matter) that time at war varies directly with the number of casualties. They voted for the damn war, and war = deaths… very violent, horrible deaths, and gross, permanent injuries. Hmm. So I guess what I’m saying is my biggest Iraq war fear is the same as most folks… it will continue. Oh, and BTW, IMHO prayers (which I equate with wishing and hoping) won’t help anything… voting out the politician(s) who don’t agree with you is the only way.